


Smoke and Memories

by Aly_H



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Flashbacks, Gen, Magic, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Problems with the Thalmor, Thalmor, Thieves Guild, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-09-07 04:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16846711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aly_H/pseuds/Aly_H
Summary: Riadel, a bosmer rogue, and Corrinar, an altmer mage, make camp after a successful mission for the Thieves' Guild and on their way back to Riften when Corrinar's use of fire magic reawakens a memory that Riadel would have preferred stayed quiet.





	Smoke and Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Written based on the prompt "A memory that strains a relationship."

Del shuddered, but kept his jaw clenched tightly shut as the Altmer arranged the wood. Like most of his kind this Corrinar fell back to the use of magic whenever a problem presented itself.

His technique was sloppy, poorly defined, and even his mannerisms left much to be desired by the standards of the Summerset Isles.

He _knew_ enough of the ginger thief-mage to know that he should have expected the fire jumping into his fingers and to the wood in hungry lashing tongues.

Expectations couldn’t stop the panic seizing him in place, the tightness burning in his throat at the sulfer-scent of magic fire, the way the world tilted dangerously before his exhausted gaze.

He saw a different altmer standing before him, a different fire burning – the taste of burnt flesh on his tongue. The grin twisted into a malicious smile. Dark leathers of the Thieves’ guild transmuted to long black robes.

As quickly as the memory had overwhelmed it was gone and he shivered, pulling his fur-lined cloak tighter.

The fire was gone from the high elf’s hands as he busied himself with sorting through his pack looking for something edible amongst the jangling clatter of relics and glittering gems and bunches of brightly colored flowers collected like a dragon’s horde.

Fear left a sour taste and the bosmer made no attempt to talk – not that he ever did. In the morning before the light had fully risen in the sky he collected his own pack and disappeared into Skyrim’s wilds.

He would return to Windhelm, not Riften as he had intended.


End file.
